Looping device



s- 3, 1963 R. N. SAGE 3,100,512

LOOPING DEVICE Filed May 28, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 1N VENTOR.

' RICHARD N. SAGE ATTOR EY Aug. 13, 1963 R. N. SAGE LOOPING DEVICE 4Shee Filed May 28, 1958 Aug. 13, 1963 R. N. SAGE 3,100,512

LOOPING DEVICE Filed May 2a, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet s Aug. 13, 1963 FiledMay 28, 1958 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 100Vdc Q B 7 AUTO. R15 -1 L l Q O 1 0510 JFm MAN. s10 w" r140 cs1? m R12 I LJ 124 fl- 0/ s11 0911 Q I I 4240 i I52 W "I 540 0512 \b |"l R12---4Ll l 7 RIZ I s15 1 H4O 0515 JD ["1 I R15L} R15 7 cs1e AUTO ems A FIG. 8

J74 my L% STATION POSITION n pp FORWARD BLOCK 504x11 OPEN CLOSED FORWARDCARRIER BACK KNIFE FORWARD BLOCK BACK ON MAGNET DOWN TRIGGER L UnitedStates Patent 3,100,512 LOOPING DEVICE Richard N. Sage, Endicott, N.Y.,assignor to International Business Machines Corporation, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed lvlay 28, 1958, Ser. No. 738,473 7Claims. (Cl. 140-102) This invention relates to apparatus for drawingand orienting a predetermined length of strand or filament, and moreparticularly to apparatus which pulls the strand or filament into afolded loop.

In the automatic manufacture of electrical [wires and other articleswherein specific lengths of long or continuous strands or filaments areisolated and have terminations attached thereto, it is desirable toremove a selected length of strand from a source of supply and maintainthe strand in a correct orientation while the various steps in theprocess are being performed. Forming the strand into a loop one-half aslong as the desired length of the article has been recognized asconvenient since it leaves the two ends of the strand mutually adjacent.

Accordingly, the main object of this invention is to provide a fullyautomatic and reliable strand feeding, looping and orienting device.

The characteristics of prior devices include the threading of a looseend of strand into the looping means at each cycle. This requires astraight and somewhat rigid section of strand to avoid feeding failures.Other devices have pushed the strand into a characteristic confinementto which the strand conformed. The strand was necessarily pushed withsome force which was expended by pressure-type feeding rolls. Suchfeeding means require rigid control over the diameter and surfacecondition of the strand supply, the variation of which causes feedfailure.

The end and surface of a strand being pushed is likely to be damaged byrubbing against machine parts. Furthermore, to vary the length of theloop formed, said characteristic confining means must be changed, whichreduces the effectiveness of the entire machine. Due to the compressiveforce on the strand, the exact position of the ends of the wire in theloop may vary causing machine problems at the stations performingoperations on said ends.

Another object is to provide a device that pulls the strand into afolded loop without threading, a loose end during normal operation.

Another object is to provide a strand looping device that will not burrthe ends nor chafe the surface of the strand.

Another object is to provide such a looping device that will insureuniformity in the position of the ends of the loop so formed.

Still another object is to provide a loop forming means that may readilybe adjusted for various loop sizes.

Other objects of the invention will be pointed out in the followingdescription and claims and illustrated in the accompanying drawingswhich disclose, by way of example, the principle of the invention andthe best mode which has been contemplated of applying that principle.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view, partially broken away, showing theessential parts of one illustrative embodiment of the invention in theirpositions at the start of a pulling cycle. 1

FIG. 2 is a partially sectioned and broken left side elevation of saidembod ment, shown after the forming of the loop.

FIGS. 3a to 3d are plan views of a rotatable device illustrating themanner in which the device rotates,

Wrapping a length of strand into a loop, while retracting to provideclearance for the ends of the preceding loop.

FIG. 4 is a partial side elevation view of the carrier and rotatabledevice, pant-1y sectioned, illustrating the manner in which the triggeris guided behind the strand to be pulled.

FIG. 5a is a partial side elevation, partly sectioned, illustrating theposition of the trigger and the strand prior to pulling the strand intothe desired loop.

FIG. 5b is a partial plan view further illustrating the relationship ofFIG. 5a.

FIG. 6 is a front elevation of the clamp assembly.

FIG. 7 is a vertical section on the line 77 of FIG. 1. FIG. 8 is aschematic diagram of the control circuitry.

FIG. 9 is a chart showing the sequence of operation of said embodiment.

In the present embodiment, the device is contemplated as being used inthe manufacture of terminated electrical wires. In this embodiment thewire is first formed into a small loop and then the small loop is pulledinto a larger loop. The end of a wire from a source of supply is grippedand wrapped around a capstan-like device, forming a small loop. A bookor trigger then enters behind the wire through a radial slot in thecapstan-like device and pulls the small loop radially outward while theend of the wire is still gripped by the capstan-like device, and thewire source freely supplies wire to make the larger loop. The triggerdraws the wire into a channel, having wire clamping means, mounted on arotatable work table. After the loop is pulled, the clamping meanssecures the wire in the channel and the wire is then severed from thesupply by a cutting means. Before the wire is cut, the grippers in thecapstan-like device are shifted, releasing the end of the wire andgripping the wire on the source-side of the cutting means. Since theclamping means secures the wire after it has been drawn into a taut loopby the trigger, and cutting takes place thereafter, the ends of the wireon all the loops so formed will be a uniform distance from the clampingmeans.

The loop of wire is thus drawn off, clamped, and severed from the sourceof supply. The ends of the loop extend radially from the periphery ofthe work table on which the clamped wire is rotated ,to the subsequentstations at which work is to be performed on the ends of the wire. Inaccordance with other features of the invention, the source of supply isleft connected to the capstan-like device; it is not necessary to threada free, loose end of wire into the device for the following cycle; andthe wire is easily pulled, not pushed, into position.

The gripping, rotating and cutting portion of the embodiment describedis disclosed in the copending application, Serial No. 664,980, WireCutting and Orienting Apparatus, R. Durham, Jr., filed June 11, 1957,now Patent No. 2,976,895. The reference numbers from 10' to 49 on thisportion of the drawings are the same as those in the Durham application.

Rotating and Cutting Assembly Now referring to FIGS. 1 and 7, a movableslide member 10 having V-shaped ways 11 is mounted to slide in a fixedblock 12 having guides .13 to receive the ways 11 respectively, therebyguiding the slide 10 in its movement. Movement of the slide 10 isactuated by an air cylinder (shown schematically as 14a in FIG. 8)having a piston rod 14 fixed to the slide .10. The slide 10 carries aWire guide 15 spaced from and attached to the slide 10 by means of adowel rod 16, and the wire guide 15 is drilled toreceive a guide tube 17adapted to slide in a hole provided in a frame member 18 attachedto thefixed block 12. As the slide member 10 slides in either direction, agear 25 fixed thereto is caused to rotate by its engagement with a rack26 attached to the fixed block a 12, which rotation is transmitted by ashaft 24 to a drive disk 21 mounted within a rotatable stop block 20.The stop block 20 is journaled in the slide and hasfixed thereon agripper block 28. The stop block is drivably connected to the drive disk21 having inclined surfaces 22 machined into the face of the disk in amanner so that during rotation of the drive disk 21 in one direction,the drop-off step of the inclined surfaces 22 will engage spring-loadedclutch pins 23 carried in the stop block 20 so as to drive the stopblock 20, and when the drive disk 21 is rotated in the oppositedirection, the clutch pins 23 merely ride up the inclined surfaces 22and drop off the step. The inclined surfaces 22 on the drive disk 21 aresuch that 'as the slide 10 is caused to be retracted by the air cylinderthroughthe piston rod 14, the gear 25 is rotated (clockwise'in FIG. 1)by the rack 26 and therefore the stop block 20 is rotated throughdirection is limited by a spring-biased stop pin 19, which is constantlyurged to bear against the periphery of the stop block 20, and whichengages a notch therein when one-half revolution has been made. The stoppin 19 thereafter ensures that the stop block 20 will not rotate untilforced to do so through the clutch pins 23.

The end of the wire coming from a supply of wire S (FIG. 1) is threadedthrough the guide tube 17 and the wire guide 15 and into a groove 27 inthe rota-table gripper block 28 fixed to the stop block 20. The groove27 extends inward from and around the periphery of the gripper block28', which also has a slot 29 extending longitudinally there/through toaccommodate a slidable cam plate 30, as well as having verticallyextending holes 31 and 32 (FIG. 7) to accommodate gripping pins 33 i and34 biased by spring 35 and 36, respectively. The cam plate 30* isslotted to permit the gripping pins 33 and 34 to extend therethrough andis provided with cam surfaces 37 and 38 to alternately act againstshoulders 39 and 40 on the gripping pins'33 and 34, respectively,

to move in a guide block 43 attached to the fixed block 12. Movement ofthe slidable block 42 is at right angles to movement of the slide member110*. An air cylinder (shown schematically as 44a in FIG. 8) having apiston rod 44 (FIG. 1) connected to the slidable block 42 drives theblock 42 toward and away from the slidable cam plate 30. The slidableblock 42 also carries a knife 45 for cutting off the wire gripped in thegroove 27 of the gripper block 28. The knife 45 is adapted to enter oneof two identical cutouts 46a, 461) provided in the gripping block 28,which cutouts also provide a cooperating surface for the knife 45 duringthe cutting operation. The drive pin 41 is disposed in the slidableblock 42 in a manner so that it will engage the slidable cam plate 30and move it laterally until the slidable cam plate 30 strikes a stop pin47 secured in the fixed block 12, so that the pin which had beengripping the end of the wire (shown at A in FIG. 1) releases its gripand the nongripping pin (shown at B in FIG. 1) moves into a grippingposition to grip the wire from lthe supply S prior to the knife 45severing the wire. Hence as the wire is severed from the supply S, thenewly createdend from the supply S will'be already gripped. It is neces-'sary to spring load thedrive pin 41 so as to allow further travel ofthe slidable block 42 to move the knife 45 into the cutting positionafter the drive pin -41 has moved the slidable cam plate 30 into thestop pin 47.

The gripper block 28 has two'notches 48, 49 which permit the trigger 61to get down behind the wire after the wire has been wrapped into a smallloop. Each notch has a pair of pins 48a, 49a, respectively, disposedmidway on either side of the notch. The pins cause the wire to bestretched across the notch in a manner to allow suf- -ficient clearancefor the trigger to lower itself behind the wire.

Pulling Assembly Referring now to FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, two tubular slides51 and 52 are fixed as cantilevers on a main frame -A carrier 60 isslidably disposed on and between the slides and has a central slot inwhich a wire-pulling trig- I get 61, a lever 63, and a switching pin 65are all mounted.

the clutch pins 23. Movement of the slide :10 in this Y placed away fromthe trigger by a shoulder 68 when the The trigger 61 is held in anoperating position (FIG. 5). by the lever 63 under the action of aspring 64 as the carrier travels outwardly on the slides and is held ina restoring position (FIG. 2) by a leaf spring 62 as the carrier returnstoward the main frame. The switching pin 65 is held by a spring 66against a flat 67 on the trigger'when the trigger is down (FIG. 5) andis distrigger is up (FIG. 2). Also disposed on the slides is a switchblock 70' which is moved to the desired operating position and thenlooked in place by tightening a screw adapted to pinch the slide 52within the slotted hole 71 (FIG. 1). The switch block holds twointerlock switches 72 and 74 with actuating pins 73 and 75 adapted to berestrains a pin 84 on an armature 85 of a restoring magnet 86. Whenenergized as in FIG. 2, the magnet rotates the link clockwise againstthe action of a spring 87. The restoring bail 80 serves to rotate thelever 63 counterclockwise so as to permit the rotation of the triggerinto the retracted position by the leaf spring 62. The main frame 50also supports a switch 76 having an actuating pin 77 adapted to beoperated by the carrier 60 when in its forward position. An air cylinder54a operates a rod 54 which drives the carrier along the slides.

Below the cantilever assembly, a device for holding the wire loop ismounted on a rotary work holding table 100. A channel 101 has alongitudinal slot 102 (FIG. 1) within which the trigger may pass whenpulling the wire into a loop 103 (FIG. 2). The loop of wire is securedwithinthe channel by a wire clamp comprising a lower jaw 104 and a pairof upper jaws 105, 106. The channel 101 is fastened to the block 107which in turn is fastened to the table 100. Referring to FIGS. 1, 2 and6,, a pair of lifting bolts 121 are disposed on either side of the clampassembly and are restrained downward by springs 122 and secured by nuts123 to a lifting bar 120 which is displaced upwardly on occasion so asto raise the lifting bolts. The lifting bolts pass through clearanceholes in the lower jaw 104 and each bolt is fastened to one ofthe upperjaws respectively. An air cylinder (shown schematically as 124a in FIG.8) operates a rod 124 against the lifting bar which raises the upperjaws 105, 106 against the springs 122 releasing the hold on the wireloop 103 and permitting entry lOf another portion of wire into theclamp. Wiring Diagram Shown in FIG. 8 is a schematic representation of asimple control means for the embodiment of the invention shown. Theelectrical circuit operates on volt DC. power, and includes theaforementioned interlock switches on the cantilever assembly, additionalcontrol switches and control relays. The object of the circuits is tooperate the solenoid-controlled air cylinder shown schematically on theright side of the diagram, and to operate the trigger releasing magnet86. When the AUTO/ MAN switch is at AUTO, or at MAN and the start key SKis depressed, the station index switch C810 (not shown mechanically)connects the positive side of the source to S16 through a normallyclosed relay contact R13a or the normally closed knife-retracted switchC817 (FIG. 1). When S is energized, the air cylinder 14a operates therod 14 (FIG. 1) so as to push the slide 10 forward (to the ieft). Whenthe slide is forward, the normally open contact of the slide-forwardswitch C511 (FIG. 1) closes connecting the positive side of the sourceto S11 through a normally closed relay contact R12a. With S11 energized,the air cylinder 124a causes the rod 124 (FIGS. 2 and 6) to rise,thereby lifting the upper jaws (105, 166) of the clamp, permitting entryof a wire into the channel 101. With the clamp open, the switch C812 isoperated by the lifting bar 120, closing the normally open contactthereof which connects S12 to the positive side of the source throughthe normally closed relay contact R1211. When S12 is energized, the aircylinder 54a causes the rod 54 to pull the carrier 60 toward the mainframe 50. The carrier then contacts the actuating pin 77 of thecarrierforward switch 76, closing its normally open contact whichconnects the coil of relay R12 to the positive side of the source. WhenR12 is energized, the common contact R12b transfers from the normallyclosed side to the normally open side, which disenergizes S12, andprovides holding current to the coil of R12 through the clamp-openswitch C812. The air cylinder 54a is thereby reversed, and the rod 54pushes the carrier 60' back out on the cantileverslides toward theswitch block '70. The relay R12 is necessary to prevent re-reversal ofthe air cylinder 54a afterthe rod 54 pushes the carrier 60* away fromthe switch 76 sufiiciently to allow its contact to re open. When the rod54 has pushedthe carrier 60 against the switch 72 mounted on the switchblock 70, the normally closed contact of switch 72 is opened, and thenormally closed relay contact R12a having opened when R12 transferred,the clamp-opening solenoid S11 becomes disenergized. Air cylinder 124atherefore reverses, causing rod 124 to lower permitting the upper jaws1115, 106 to be forced down against the lower jaw 104 by the springs122. As the jaw lifting bar 120 lowers, the

left against the actuating pin 75 of the switch 74. Switch 7'4 is aninterlock switch which indicates to the main control circuit of thewire-making machine that the feeding operation is complete. The channel101 and clamp assembly will then be rotated on the table 106* to presentthe wire to the next station, and a subsequent, empty channel and clampassembly will rotate into position under the cantilever assembly.

Feeding Operation of the device for the first time, or whenever a newspool of wire is to be used, necessitates feeding the wire through theguide tube 17 and the wire guide 15 into the groove 27. The cam plate 30should be in position shown in FIG. 1, and may be so placed manually.The wire is then fed over the gripper pin shown at B, and the cam platemanually pushed against the stop pin 47, to ward the right in FIG. 1.With the wire in place as described, it remains to rotate the gripperblock 28 so as to form the small loop before the desired larger loop maybe pulled into being. Since the nature of the solenoidoperated aircylinders is to place their respective rods in the position normallytaken at the end of a cycle when disenergized, the slide 11? and knifeblock 42 will be retracted, the carrier 60 will be out on the cantileverand the clamp will be closed when power is first applied. Before the 100volt DC. power is turned on, the AUTO/ MAN switch should be at MAN.

To cause the wire to be wrapped around the gripper block 28, the startkey SK should be closed for one full cycle, it being released as theblock '10 retracts at the end normally open contact of C812 again opens,disenergizing R1312. As S13 is energized, air cylinder 44a causes theknife block rod 44 to move the knife bloc-k forward toward the wire. Theknife-in switch C816 is then actuated,

closing its normally open contact which connects R13 to the positiveside of the source. R13 operates transferring its relay point R131) tothe normally open side, and opening its normally closed relay point R13a(in the circuit of S10). When R1312 transfers, S13 is disenergized,which causes air cylinder 44a to reverse and rod 4-4 pulls the knifeblock 42 back away from the gripper block 21). R13 is maintainedenergized through its normally open contact R131) and the clamp-closedswitch C815. When the knife block 42 is all of the way back in itsnormal position (FIG. 1), the knife-back switch C317 is actuated,opening its normally closed contact; R1311 having opened when the knifewas in, S10 is thereby disenergized, and the air cylinder 14a reversescausing the rod 14 to retract the slide 10 toward to right in FIG. 1.With the slide retracted all the way, the slide switch C518 is actuatedclosing its normally open contact which connects the magnet 86 to thepositive side of the source. When the magnet is energized (FIG. 2) itcauses the bail 83 to rotate the lever 63 permitting the trigger 61 torotate upward into the retracted position. The shoulder 68 on thetrigger -61 forces the switch operating pin 65 to the of the cycle. Theinterlock switch 74 is rendered ineffective by the AUTO/ MAN switch, sothat the work holding table does not index to the next station. TheAUTO/ MAN switch is then placed to AUTO, and the machine willautomatically proceed through successive cycles thereafter.

Operation Assuming that the machine has been in operation for more thantwo cycles, the complete operation of the device will now be traced, asshown in FIG. 9, beginning with the approach of an empty channel 101 andclamp assembly to the feed station. When the empty channel 101 isproperly indexed under the cantilever assembly, the station index switchC810 closes causing the air cylinder 14a to move the slide 10 forward.As the slide 10 moves forward, the gear 25 and shaft 24 (FIGS. 1 and 7)are rotated counterclockwise by the rack 26, but the clutch pins 23merely ride up the inclined surfaces '22 of the drive disk 21, so thatthe spring biased pin 19 holds the rotatable stop block 211, andtherefore the gripper block 28, in the same rotational orientation. Whenthe gripper block as sembly is all the way forward toward the workholding table, the slide-forward switch C511 is operated, causing theair cylinder rod 124(FIGS. 2 and 6) to move the lift bar 120 upward. Asthe lift bar is raised, the bolts 121 cause the upper jaws 1115, 1% tobe raised against the action of the springs 12 2. The clamp is now openpermitting entry of the wire into the channel 101, and the clamp-openswitch C512 is closed, which causes the air cylinder rod 54- to pull thecarrier 60 from its position against the switch block 7% as shown inFIG. 2 toward the main frame 50. When the trig er 61 contacts the mainframe 50 as shown in FIG. 4, it is rotated clockwise so as to go downinto the notch 48 (FIGS. 1, 5a and 5b) or 4 9, as the case may be, andbehind the wire stretched across the pins 48a or 49a, respectively. Themagnet 86 has been disenergized and the bail 81) therefore has been upas shown in FIG. 5. The lever spring 64 (FIG. 4) tends to push the lever63 clockwise so as to latch the trigger 61, so that as the trigger isrotated against the leaf latching of'the trigger by the lever 63 isprovided so that the trigger will be latched before being driven flatagainst the frame 50. The carrier 68 contacts the actuating pin 77 ofthe carrier-forward switch 76, which reverses the air cylinder 54a, :andthe rod 54 then pushes the carrier 60 backout on the cantilever slides51, 52. The end of the wire is gripped by the gripper pin (33 in FIG. 7)shown at A in FIG. 1, and the source of wire S supplies any amount ofwire necessary, under a slight tension, to form the loop as the triggermoves outward. The length of the loop so formed will depend on theposition of the switch block 70 on the cantilever slides 51, 52 (FIG.1). It is a simple matter to loosen a screw (not shown) to relieve thepinching effect of the slot 7-1 on the slide 52, and then slide theblock 76 to the desired position; the screw is then tightened tomaintain the block 7%) in that position.

When the carrier 60 hits the actuating pin 73 of the carrier-back switch72, the contacts thereof open and reverse the air cylinder 1240, whichretracts the rod 124 downward (FIGS. 2 and 6). The springs 122 displacethe nuts 123 downward so that the bolts 121 pull the upper jaws 105,:106 down against the wire 1%, firmly clamping it in place. At thistime, the wire 103 is stretched from the gripper block 28 through theclamp assembly as shown in FIG. 3a into the channel 101. With the clampclosed, the switch C815 is closed causing the knife block aircylinder-44a to force the rod 44 toward the upper right in FIG. 1. Therod 44 moves the knife block 42 toward the gripper block 28, and thespring-loaded drive pin 41 pushes the cam plate 30 toward the left ofFIG. 7. The cam surface 37 bears against the shoulder 39 of the clutchpin 33 and forces it down against the spring 35-; the cam surface 38releasesthe shoulder 40 of the clutch pin 34 which is pushed upward bythe spring 36 against. the wire within the slot 27. When the cam plate30' butts against the stop pin 47, the drive pin 41 is also stopped, butthe spring loading thereof permits the 'block 42 to continue toward theleft in FIG. 7 far enough for the knife 45' to cut the wire, as shown inphantom in FIG. 311. When the block 42 is all the way forward, theknife-in switch C316 (FIG. 1) is closed which reverses the air cylinder44a, causing the rod -44 to pull the block 42 back to its rest position.With the block 42 back, the knife-back switch C817 is opened, whichreverses the :air cylinder 14a causing rod 14 to pullthe slide backtoward the retracted position. Referring to FIG. 1 and FIG. 7, as theslide 10 retracts, the fixed rack 26 rotates the gear 25 and shaft 24,causing the drive disk 21 to rotate clockwise. drop-off steps of theinclined surfaces 22, causing the stop block 20 to also rotateclockwise. 'l he spring-biased pin 19 is forced back and out of thedetent, and thereafter bears against the periphery of the stop blockuntil the stop block rotates one-half revolution so as to presentanother detent to the pin '19. The pin 19 will fall into this detent andserve to ensure. stopping the rotation at the correct orientation, incooperation with the abutment of wire guide and frame member 18.Referring now to FIG. 3, when the knife has made the cut, the wire 1%,gripper block 28, and wire guide 15 are as shown in FIG. 3a. In 'FIG.3b, the. gripper block and guide have retracted slightly, and thegripper block has rotated part way. The end of the wire from the sourceis gripped by the gripper pin 36 and is drawn taut over the lower pin4%. In FIG. 30, the gripper block and guide have retracted abouttwothirds of the way, and the gripper block has rotated about one-thirdof a revolution. The ends of the wire loop 103 have almost been cleared,and the wire from the source is now taut over both pins 49a, and istherefore stretched across the notch 49. In FIG. 3d, the gripper blockand guide are retracted all the way, and the gripper block has rotatedone-half revolution. The ends of the wire loop have been cleared, sothat the channel 101 and clamp assembly may be rotated to the nextoperating station without bending said ends. With the slide 10completely re- The clutch pins 23 are pushed by the 7 tracted switchC818 (FIG. 1) is closed energizingthei magnet 86 (FIG. 2) causing thebail to bear downon and rotate the lever 63. When the lever 63 clearsthe lip on the trigger 61, the trigger rotates into the retractedposition as shown in FIG. 2 under the action of the leaf spring 62.The-shoulder 68 on the trigger forces the switch operating pin 65 tobear against the actuating pin 75 of the interlock switch '74, the pin75 having been extended within the hole 69 therebefore. The switch 74'indicates to the main machine control circuitry that the feed operationis complete, and ensures that-the trigger is retracted clear of thechannel 101 prior to indexing'said channel to the next station.

Several features of the invention should be emphasized. Once the end ofwire from a particular source or spool has been threaded into themachine, control is maintained over that the subsequent ends of the wireuntil the wire is consumed. No end need be threaded during normaloperation; the wire is never pushed, but is pulled in every phase of theoperation. The wire pulled into the main loop need not go aroundcorners, and no chafing of the surface or burring of the end'thereoftakes place. Thetrigger is able to get behind the wire into a positionfrom which the wire may be pulled after the wire is already in placewith a minimum of access space, which facilitates use with feedingdevices wherein the end of the wire is continuously gripped.

While there have been shown and described and pointed out thefundamental novel features of the invention as applied to the preferredembodiment, it 'Will be under stood that various omissions andsubstitutions and changes: inthe form and-details of the deviceillustrated and in its operation may be. made by those skilled in theart without departing from the spirit of the invention; It is theintention, therefore, to be limited only as indicated by the scope ofthe following claims.

What is claimedis:

. 1. A device for forming an extended loop-from a source of a long orcontinuous strand'or filament, comprising:

Looping means including movable gripping means for grippingthe end ofsaid strand and means for moving said gripping means to bend an endportion of said strand back upon itself;

movable loop pulling means adapted to engage said strand;

means for causing said loop pulling means to engage said bent portion ofsaid strand; and" 1 means for moving said loop pulling means in a direction parallel to the portion of strand extending from the source to saidlooping means, said means for moving sald loop pulling means therebyexertinga pulling force on said strand while said'end of said strandremains gripped, so as to pull said bent back portion of said strandinto an extended loop.

2. A device for forming an extended loop from a source of a long orcontinuous strand or filament, comprising:

loop ngmeans including movable grippingmeans for gripping the end ofsaid strand and means for movmg said gripping means to bend an endportion of said strand back upon itself;

movable loop pulling means adapted to engage said strand;

means for causing said loop pulling means to engage said bent portion ofsaid strand;

means for moving said loop pulling means in a direction parallel to theportion of strand extending from the source to said looping means, saidmeans for moving said loop pulling means thereby exerting a pullingforce on said strand while said end of said strand remains gripped, soas to pull said bent back portion of said strand into an extended loop;and

means for severing said extended loop from the source of supply.

3. A device for forming an extended loop from a source of a long orcontinuous strand or filament, comprising:

strand gripping means;

operating means for causing said gripping means to grip the end of saidstrand;

pulling means movable from aposition adjacent said gripping means to aposition more remote from said gripping means along a line substantiallyparallel to the portion of strand extending from the source to saidgripping means;

means for moving said gripping means to a point offset from said line;

means coaoting with said strand during said offsetting movement to forma portion of said strand bent away from said line;

means for causing said pulling means to engage said bent away portion ofsaid strand;

driving means for driving said pulling means along said lines;

and means for causing said driving means to operate after said pullingmeanshas engaged said bent away portion of said strand to pull a portionof said strand into an extended loop.

4. A device for forming an extended loop from a source of a long orcontinuous strand or filament, comprising:

strand gripping means;

operating means for causing said gripping means to grip the end of saidstrand;

pulling means movable from a position adjacent said gripping means to aposition more remote from said gripping means along a line substantiallyparallel to the portion of strand extending from the source to saidgripping means;

means for moving said gripping means to a point offset from said line;

means coacting with said strand during said ofi'setting movement to forma portion of said strand bent away from said line;

means for causing said pulling means to engage said bent away portion ofsaid strand;

driving means for driving said pull-ing means along said line;

means for causing said driving means to operate after said pulling meanshas engaged said bent away portion of said strand to pull a portion ofsaid strand into an extended loop;

and means responsive to said operating means for severing the loopedportion of said strand from the source of supply;

said operating means being effective to cause said gripping means togrip a subsequent portion of said strand after said loop is formed, andto operate said severing means after said subsequent portion has beengripped.

5. A device for forming and isolating an extended loop from a source ofa long or continuous strand or filament, comprising:

a rotatable gripping device having a pair of alternatively operablestrand grippers diametrically disposed thereon;

operating means effective to cause a first one of said grippers tosecure the end of said strand;

means to rotate said gripping device one-half revolution after saidfirst gripper secures the end of said strand, thereby forming an endportion of said strand into a small loop;

loop pulling means movable from a position adjacent said gripping deviceto a position more remote from said gripping device along a linesubstantially parallel to the portion of strand extending from thesource to said gripping device;

means for placing said loop pulling means Within a small loop formed bysaid rotatable gripping device;

means for moving said loop pulling means away from said rotatablegripping device along said line so as to form an extended loop, saidoperating means also being effective to cause said first gripper torelease said strand and to cause the second one of said grippers to gripsaid strand after said extended loop is formed;

means for severing said extended loop from the source of supply;

and means responsive to said operating means for causing said severingmeans to sever said strand at a point on the extended loop side of saidsecond gripper after said second gripper grips said strand.

6. A device for enlarging asmall loop which is on the end of a long orcontinuous strand or filament, comprising:

retractable loop pulling means;

a carrier member for supporting said loop pulling means;

a slide assembly on which said carrier member is slidably disposed;

means for moving said carrier member along said slide assembly in afirst direction toward said small loop or in a reverse direction,alternatively;

means acting on said carrier moving means for arresting the motion insaid first direction of said carrier and for causing said moving meansto move said carrier in said reverse direction;

means for placing said loop pulling means within said small loop and formaintaining said loop pulling means in contact with the strand as saidcarrier member slides on said slide assembly in said reverse direction;

limit means for limiting the distance traveled by said carrier member inextending said loop in said reverse direction, said limit means beingslidably disposed on said slide assembly;

means responsive to said limit means for retracting said loop pullingmeans out of engagement with said loop when said carrier is stopped bysaid limit means;

and means for securing said limit means at selected positions on saidslide assembly.

7. A device for forming and isolating an extended loop from a source ofa long or continuous strand or filament, comprising:

a rotatable gripping device having a pair of alternatively operablestrand grippers diametrically disposed thereon;

operating means effective to cause a first one of said grippers tosecure the end of said strand;

means to rotate said gripping device one-half revolution after saidfirst gripper secures the end of said strand, thereby forming an endportion of said strand into a small loop;

retractable loop pulling means;

a carrier member for supporting said loop pulling means;

a slide assembly on which said carrier is slidably disposed, said slideassembly being oriented so as to provide a path which is parallel to thedirection of the strand extending from the source to said grippingdevice along which said carrier may slide;

means for moving said carrier member along said slide assembly in afirst direction toward said gripping device or in a reverse direction,alternatively;

means acting on said carrier moving means for arresting the motion insaid first direction of said carrier and for causing said moving meansto move said carrier in said reverse direction;

means for placing said loop pulling means within a small loop formed bysaid gripping device, and for maintaining said loop pulling means incontact with said strand as said carrier member slides on said slideassembly in said reverse direction;

limit means for limiting the distance traveled by said carrier member inextending said loop in said reverse direction;

means responsive to said limit means for retracting said a loop pullingmeansout of engagement with said loop when said carrier is stopped bysaid limit means, said operating means also being efieetive to causesaid first gripper to release said strand and to cause the second ofsaid grippers to grip said strand after said extended loop is formed; 7

means forsevering said extended'loop from the source of supply;

' and means "responsive to said operating means for causing saidsevering means to sever said strand at a point on the extended loop sideof said second gripper after said second gripper grips said strand.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS KremerMar. 1, 1892 Hunt Apr. 7, 1931 Lewis Dec. 14, 1937 OGrady Aug. 1, 1939Lewis July 6, 1948 Kaupke et a1. Aug. 10, 1948 Dashew Nov. 23, 1948Raney et a1. July 4, 1950 Brekle Oct. 7, 1952 Pityo June 5, 1956 DurhamMar. 28, 1961

1. A DEVICE FOR FORMING AN EXTENDED LOOP FROM A SOURCE OF A LONG ORCONTINUOUS STRAND OR FILAMENT, COMPRISING: LOOPING MEANS INCLUDINGMOVABLE GRIPPING MEANS FOR GRIPPING THE END OF SAID STRAND AND MEANS FORMOVING SAID GRIPPING MEANS TO BEND AN END PORTION OF SAID STRAND BACKUPON ITSELF; MOVABLE LOOP PULLING MEANS ADAPTED TO ENGAGE SAID STRAND;MEANS FOR CAUSING SAID LOOP PULLING MEANS TO ENGAGE SAID BENT PORTION OFSAID STRAND; AND MEANS FOR MOVING SAID LOOP PULLING MEANS IN A DIRECTIONPARALLEL TO THE PORTION OF STRAND EXTENDING FROM THE SOURCE TO SAIDLOOPING MEANS, SAID MEANS FOR MOVING SAID LOOP PULLING MEANS THEREBYEXERTING A PULLING FORCE ON SAID STRAND WHILE SAID END OF SAID STRANDREMAINS GRIPPED, SO AS TO PULL SAID BENT BACK PORTION OF SAID STRANDINTO AN EXTEDED LOOP.